Your NOOK Color eReader's Custom USB Cable

Your NOOK Color eReader comes with a custom USB cable. Why not just the standard USB cables you can purchase with other electronic devices? First of all, there is a wide variety of possible connectors that can be installed at each end of a USB cable. The large rectangular connector at one end of most cables is called a USB Standard Type A plug. The necessary cable for a NOOK Color has that plug at one end and a Micro USB B connector at the other end, along with non-standard heavier-duty wiring to support the higher power being delivered.

The NOOK Color cable adds a charging indicator light at its small Micro end and is capable carrying the relatively high amperage from the AC adapter but is not intended to be used to recharge the device from the lesser power that comes from a USB port on a personal computer.

In addition, the USB cable provided for the charger is not standard, but it may be possible to find a replacement AC charger and cable from a third party with identical specifications. For the record, the Barnes & Noble BNRP5-1900 adapter outputs 5.0 volts at 1.9 amps, an above-average amount of electrical energy for a small personal digital device.